TOPPING MX3s

[robbiekhan]

Does the MX3 non-S have a volume dial that is non stepped? The dial on the MX3S has notches like steps so you know you're increasing the dial by a value of 1 each time etc. The NAD D 3020 and D 7050 I had after a few years the volume dial would randomly jump up or down values when changing volume, those dials did not have stepped knobs. I can't see it being an issue on the MX3S.

Also no audible hiss or noise when volume is max and nothing is playing here.

There is a very faint "pop" from the speakers when turning it on or off. It's like a single speck of static. The NADs didn't have this as they have a relay that disconnects the speaker output a moment before the unit goes into standby when pressing the power button.

 

[replus]

I hear no noise from my 21 year-old Paradigm Monitor 3v3 speakers when USB-fed sound is off, even with the volume turned up to 50.

I've had the MX3s in use since late June; no knob issues. I don't think it's actually a potentiometer; I think it's probably a rotary encoder.

Thank you!

Does the MX3 non-S have a volume dial that is non stepped? The dial on the MX3S has notches like steps so you know you're increasing the dial by a value of 1 each time etc. The NAD D 3020 and D 7050 I had after a few years the volume dial would randomly jump up or down values when changing volume, those dials did not have stepped knobs. I can't see it being an issue on the MX3S.

Also no audible hiss or noise when volume is max and nothing is playing here.

There is a very faint "pop" from the speakers when turning it on or off. It's like a single speck of static. The NADs didn't have this as they have a relay that disconnects the speaker output a moment before the unit goes into standby when pressing the power button.

The MX3 dial is stepped, but something funky is going on behind the scenes. The best way I can describe it is "unreliable on the first turn." Say I want to turn it down one notch from 10 to 9, the volume may go from 10 to 24 instead. After being "woken up" though, it operates pretty reliably.

I get the little pop from the speakers when powering down the MX3 as well, but it's the subwoofer pop that kills me! My stopgap solution has been to first power the subwoofer down via a wifi outlet, since its physical power switch is out of reach. I just sometimes forget and it's like BAM!

 

[bravomail]

On sale today at 175 on amazon

 

[bravomail]

On sale today at 175 on amazon

Came with "Gain -3" and unresponsive state. Googling shows "wrong firmware". But there is no firmware for it anywhere. Odd. Sent to return.

 

[Fluxed]

Would this be good for a desktop windows PC user and connected to a TV with optical out and a pair of beyerdynamic DT700X headphones?

Can't get the Dx3pro since its using ESS chipset not compatible with my LG TV, needs to be ak chipset.

thanks

 

[-dsr-]

The MX3s is slightly overkill for what you describe you want:

• [x] DAC
• [x] headphone amp
• [x] USB input
• [x] optical input
• [__] analog RCA input
• [__] speaker amplifier
• [__] subwoofer output

Of course, you don't need to use the speaker amplifier, but there's probably a nice DAC/HP amp with optical and USB but no speaker amp available for less money.

 

[audioguy272727]

Hi All,

lurking and learning and I have some questions - please be kind

i have an analog side (3 turntables which I manage separately for switching etc). I have a digital side with raspberry pi hosting moode player (USB), CD player (COAX), and HDMI (OPT), all going into my Topping E50. The separate analog and digital streams are then going into my minidsp 6x8, in which I have two “configs” for digital and analog. The configs both route output to the Aiyima A07 amp (and my B&W DM12 speakers) and to an active sub. Preamp volume and DSP config selection are managed at stupid wired minidsp remote since that’s where all sources congregate. Aiyima master volume stays mostly constant through using minidsp volume control management.

But, im not sure I want a relatively capable E50 DAC being DSP DAC’d by the minidsp. Yep, having DSP helps solve some current presentation and acoustic issues, but firehouse going into drinking straw is what I seem to have DACwise, actually or conceptually.

So I saw the MX3s and this thread and got thinking that the MX3s could help me simplify my system layout

Comments
1) analog rig will not change and is an absolute necessity
2) I really really like the E50 DAC
3) I’ve really come to like the simplicity and execution of the A07 opamp changes and all
4) I’m just not sure the benefits of the minidsp 6x8 ( an old product now) are worth the potential compromise I’ve created as a result)
5) If DSP makes sense (and the ability to measure my room/space seems like a benefit at some level, I could get into the newer minidsp 2x4 which seems like a lesser DACing DACs evil since it is much higher spec/standard vs legacy 6x8
6) I’m really enjoying the array of these new products that don’t require 19” by 4’ tall stacks of moving electrons?

Questions
1) does having the miniDSP make system sense as a preamp/DSP/Stealth DAC for my components?
2) does the aux input flow directly through - not DAC’d when aux inout is chosen? Don’t really want a DAC’d analog stream for aux and if I can lose the DSP DAC issue then analog is clean, end to end.
3) is sub out volume on MX3s managed at the MX3s or manually at active sub level - recently looked at Fosi V3 and bailed on that because the sub volume level was not managed by the V3 volume.
4) is the “all in one“ MX3s as good a solution (in use and convenience) as it seems to be?
5) given my current state, what compromises ( or benefits) will I be introducing if I replace the E50, the A07 and the minidsp with the MX3s?Or is there a better, but still affordable, solution I missed in my consideration.

This is truly a first world problem but looking for the experience available here to help make a decision. And please be kind in case I’ve unintentionally asked any dumb@ss questions

thanking you in advance

 

[Opal]

Aliexpress had it on sale and was only $14X after voucher discounts. Couldn't resist and bought 1. Hope it measures well for this price point in the future when the review is out!

 

[Nydus]

Mine has been perfect so far. At this price point it's a steal!

 

[robbiekhan]

I found the USB cable that comes with it is a bit cheapo and even to the point of wiggling the USB-A end when connected to the PC resulted in random reconnections. I would highly recommend not using it and using a proper quality cable like something from Anker. I also found the USB-C end to be soft and bendable which doesn't inspire confidence in the termination quality.

I replaced it with an Anker Powerline and it's been great:

And just like with the NAD D3045, D 7050 and D 3020 I had before it, over a short space of time once my ears adjusted to the slight difference in sound presentation from this vs what I had before on the same speakers and headphones, it's really really grown on me to the point I can happily say it beats the NADs as an all round package with lots more features. I have got +3 treble and +2 bass set in the tone controls which gets the bass punching really rich and low but absolutely full of detail without any distortion etc, and high gain is enabled too.

 

[Opal]

He said it takes about 5 weeks. I still need to ship it off to him, waiting on his reply for address/etc.

Hi Bro, so did you manage to send it to Amir? just realised its been 6 months

 

[flinger]

Just throwing my two cents in having had the MX3S for over a month now, and also switching from arguably its biggest competitor: the Loxjie A30. I only switched as the A30 headphone output died.

I'm by no means an audiophile (perhaps I'm in the wrong place) and am of the opinion if it sounds good to you then that's all that matters, so take the below with a pinch of salt.

Bottom line, it's fantastic, easily better than the A30, and somehow smaller. I think this is a versatile device that's perfect for all-in-one desktop solution, but if you don't need all features (e.g. DAC, headphone and speaker amp), you'll probably find you can make a better/equivalent setup with discrete components for cheaper.

Pros:
+ Great sound, no noticeable difference (better or worse) than Loxjie. For reference I listen with Philips X2HRs and Dali Spektors nearfield, not a demanding setup so unsurprisingly plenty sound.
+ Single DAC for all digital inputs, did not like that Loxjie silently had separate DACs of differing quality for USB vs Optical.
+ Stylish and solid build quality in a tiny form factor.
+ Great amount of inputs, and sub out for those who need it.

Neutral:
- 3.5mm headphone jack, some users will require a converter.
- Headphone and Speaker simultaneous output is redundant to me, but catering to unique setups I guess.
- Speaker 'clicks' when switching inputs/off.
- Big power brick, but this is expected, same size as Loxjie.
- Topping UI, some love it some hate it, clunky to navigate and require instructions to understand deeper settings, I have no issue with it, I find the basic orange charming.
- Auto-On feature is not polished, but this is a specific issue to certain setups. E.g. I have Sonos port connected on Coax, but it will not wake when I start playing music as it is technically 'always on', this may be partly the blame of Sonos setup. Vice-versa it won't go to sleep when music stops. Works great for computer with USB.

Cons:
- Bluetooth stays on regardless of input setting, e.g. my phone will auto-connect sound regardless of input. This is one thing the Loxjie did well at.
- Speaker output posts quite close together. May be an issue for those not using plugs.

Compared to Loxjie A30, the only things Loxjie wins on is UI and navigation, Bluetooth handling, and price. Although price can be matched if buying on Aliexpress during sales.

 

[Opal]

Just got my MX3S. So surprised it is so small and tiny. Not sure why but my subwoofer sounded really soft compared to my Marantz PM6007 which i was using. I had to increase 5db on my SVS app for my PB3000 to hear the bass i was used to for the past 1 year. Did not touch any settings or EQ on my pm6007 before...

 

[onethreetwowaitthatswrong]

I see this only now. I have a MX3s connected to USB and Coax respectively to two different computers. When the MX3s is on standby, as soon as I turn one one of the computers, the MX3s turns on and switches to that input, no matter what input was used last. If, on the other hand, I turn on one computer first (say USB), then switch on the coax one, the input doesn't change and keeps playing USB (until I manually switch). For what is worth, that's my preferred way to handle it: I usually start playing music on the first computer I turn on, and wouldn't want the second one to switch the input.

A few minutes after the last signal disappears from the inputs, it goes back to standby.

It's one of the best auto on/off I experienced. It never failed to work properly over the last couple of months or so.

Hello, I have an additional question regarding this feature : does it auto on/off with an incoming RCA signal too ? The formulation, "the digital inputs of the Topping MX3S have an automatic detection of the input signal", is not entirely clear to me : does it only mean coaxial, optical and USB, or would it work with RCA too ?
Am very interested since Topping is the only brand I've found so far with this excellent feature (why is this not the case with SMSL or Sabaj ?), and this is, unless I'm mistaken, their only amp with a sub out.

 

[Bleib]

Hello, I have an additional question regarding this feature : does it auto on/off with an incoming RCA signal too ? The formulation, "the digital inputs of the Topping MX3S have an automatic detection of the input signal", is not entirely clear to me : does it only mean coaxial, optical and USB, or would it work with RCA too ?
Am very interested since Topping is the only brand I've found so far with this excellent feature (why is this not the case with SMSL or Sabaj ?), and this is, unless I'm mistaken, their only amp with a sub out.

No detection with RCA unfortunately..
USB works, have not tried coax and optical

 

[onethreetwowaitthatswrong]

No detection with RCA unfortunately..
USB works, have not tried coax and optical

Thanks. That's a huge shame then. It means, if we want to keep the auto on/off, we can't use it with something like a Dx3Pro+ on top as a dac/preamp/headphone amp, and that it would be pointless to have a dac with an optical/coax/usb out point to it since it'd just go through the Mx3s's dac afterwards anyways. Or, to be precise, it would be useful in case of a dac/headphones amp then plugged into the Mx3s, for the headphones use (which isn't imo the case use where we most needs the auto on/off).. Which only leaves us the choice to use it as a all in one unit, despite having no test data for how the dac, headphones amp and amp measures :/

 

[jackdanyal]

Just use an RCA splitter and send cable(s) to the sub(s) on DX3s.

That's what I'm doing with my Schiit stack.

hey, nice idea. just wondering which splitter you use. did you notice any audio quality degradation with the splitter?

 

[onethreetwowaitthatswrong]

I finally got one - new. Optical auto-off is not working as it should be (while auto-on is working as expected). The Opt keep blinking forever while showing the volume but the device never goes back to standby mode. I have subsequently tried with USB : same result. Same thing also occurred when selecting a source (coax) where there isn't anything plugged in. Also, the automatic screen turnoff ( L - A ) does not work either while this continuous blinking is occurring.
I did the same experiment with the same devices in USB and Optical with a Dx3Pro+, which perfectly turned on and off. I even tried unplugging the subwoofer in and the Aux RCA In from the MX3S in case it somehow fed something to the device that prevented it to go to standby mode. It didn't changed anything. In the end I just unplugged everything except the speakers and power supply, just in case, to no change.

I'm going to send a mail to topping support about it, but, except if I've done something horribly wrong (and yes, the auto on/off is on), it looks like a faulty device, doesn't it ? Dunno if it's relevant, but I've felt static electricity while running my fingers on the device, which isn't reassuring either.

 

[onethreetwowaitthatswrong]

I finally got one - new. Optical auto-off is not working as it should be (while auto-on is working as expected). The Opt keep blinking forever while showing the volume but the device never goes back to standby mode. I have subsequently tried with USB : same result. Same thing also occurred when selecting a source (coax) where there isn't anything plugged in. Also, the automatic screen turnoff ( L - A ) does not work either while this continuous blinking is occurring.
I did the same experiment with the same devices in USB and Optical with a Dx3Pro+, which perfectly turned on and off. I even tried unplugging the subwoofer in and the Aux RCA In from the MX3S in case it somehow fed something to the device that prevented it to go to standby mode. It didn't changed anything. In the end I just unplugged everything except the speakers and power supply, just in case, to no change.

I'm going to send a mail to topping support about it, but, except if I've done something horribly wrong (and yes, the auto on/off is on), it looks like a faulty device, doesn't it ? Dunno if it's relevant, but I've felt static electricity while running my fingers on the device, which isn't reassuring either.

Update : Topping support sent me the V.012 firmware update. Was a bit of a struggle to flash, but it solved the problem.

 

[G-Can]

can someone pin point differences with MX5? biggest differences/drawbacks?

thanks